Celebrate the End of Summer with GrillFest ’25: Utah’s Legendary Backyard Festival Returns

This summer, the fire’s coming back. On August 22–23, 2025 , GrillFest rises from the ashes to reclaim its spot as one of Utah’s most unique celebrations of music, food, and community. Once a scrappy backyard metal barbecue, GrillFest has transformed into a full-scale two-day festival shutting down Main Street in Midvale, Utah and filling it with live bands, BBQ smoke, and a lineup that proves the underground is alive and well.

The GrillFest 2025 Spotify Playlist is already live, giving fans a sneak peek at the sounds of this year’s stacked lineup: Listen Here.

The Lineup

This year’s bill balances hometown heroes with heavy hitters across multiple genres:

Friday, August 22nd

Hisingen

Moon Wizard

Michael Barrow & The Tourists

Advent Horizon

Saturday, August 23rd

DiseNgaged

Viperwitch

Storm Haven

Celestial Wizard

Arsenic Addiction

Seizure

Silver Talon

Judicator

About the Festival

Originally founded by John Yelland (vocalist of Judicator ) and his first band Disforia in the early 2010s, GrillFest began as a simple backyard show. The last one took place in 2013, but now—thanks to support from Judicator, the City of Midvale , and the Midvale Main Business Alliance —the fest is back in a big way.

“We’re bringing together some of the best underground metal acts from across the West, pairing them with real smokehouse BBQ and a no-frills, all-heart atmosphere,” says Yelland. “Our goal is to grow something truly special here in Utah: a boutique-style festival that stays loud, stays local, and gives both rising bands and dedicated fans a place to call home.”

Local businesses will set up pop-up shops, vendors will serve everything from savory smokehouse BBQ to desserts, and the atmosphere will be part street fair, part underground metal revival. GrillFest ’25 isn’t just about music—it’s about community, connection, and the thrill of seeing something real take root.

Headliners: Judicator

Anchoring Saturday night, Judicator has become one of power metal’s most important underground forces. Since their formation in 2012, they’ve released six albums exploring history, mortality, and humanity. From concept albums about Napoleon Bonaparte and Frederick the Great to the deeply personal At the Expense of Humanity (which chronicled Yelland’s loss of his brother to cancer), the band has never shied away from heavy themes.

Their upcoming record, Concord , drops in early 2025, and fans at GrillFest will get to witness the band’s new material in a live setting. Judicator’s resume already includes working with Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian and opening for their heroes on the God Machine North American Tour (2024) . Expect nothing less than a masterclass in epic, heartfelt metal.

📺 Watch the Concord music video here: VIDEO
📖 More about Judicator: https://linktr.ee/judicatormetal

Metal Devastation PR Spotlight

We’re especially proud of our clients Viperwitch , who earned a spot on this year’s lineup and are ready to shred Midvale into the ground. Big horns also go up for our good friends in Arsenic Addiction , who we had the honor of hosting at the Tennessee Metal Devastation Music Fest 2024 . Seeing them take the stage again at GrillFest is proof that hard work and raw talent always rise.

Event Info

Dates: August 22–23, 2025
Location: The Pearl on Main, Midvale, Utah
Tickets: https://linktr.ee/grillfestutah
Promo Video: HERE
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1264606655378437/

🔥 GrillFest ’25 is more than a music festival—it’s a rebirth. From the underground backyard shows of the early 2010s to shutting down Main Street in 2025, this is Utah’s chance to celebrate music, food, and community the way it was always meant to be: loud, unfiltered, and unforgettable.